Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!phri!mcclb0!smith
From: smith@mcclb0.med.nyu.edu (Ross Smith: (212) 340-5356)
Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.genbank
Subject: Re: Data banks and CD-ROM.
Message-ID: <1446@mcclb0.med.nyu.edu>
Date: 27 Dec 89 12:01:45 GMT
References: <8912192350.AA01990@net.bio.net> <2693@aecom.yu.edu>
Organization: NYU Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
Lines: 38

In article <2693@aecom.yu.edu>, naftoli@aecom.yu.edu (Robert N. Berlinger) writes:
> In article <8912192350.AA01990@net.bio.net>, BAIROCH@cgecmu51.bitnet (Amos Bairoch) writes:
>> I always have the impression that managers of big computer centers tend
>> to ignore what happening in the real world.....
> 
> I agree that CD-ROM is a reasonable distribution medium for the data banks,
> but you seem to imply that it will be cheaper for individuals than a centralized
> storage and access point because everyone can get hold of a 386 and buy
> a CD player for $1000.  That's simply not true if you scale it.
> 
> Suppose there are 30 labs within your institution that need this capability. 
> There's $30,000 just for the players.  Then you need 30 subscriptions to each
> data bank, etc.; you know what I'm talking about.
> 
> Compare that to one subscription stored on a central network
> server which can provide virtual disk access.  Speed will be comparable
> or better than CD-ROM directly, because the data can be stored
> inexpensively (once) on fast hard disks attached to the server.

I strongly agree.  A central system, well managed, provides a cost-effective 
method to distribute the computing needed by a group of investigators, most 
of whom have no interest in computing per se.  More importantly, a central 
service allows users to share expertese  effectively, and to use a central 
consultant who can help ensure that all users can benefit from the latest 
releases of data and software.  Individual investigators generally do not have, 
and do not want, a postdoc spending a large fraction of his or her time 
maintaining a personal data analysis system.

We have a site with about 40 groups and 180ish users.  Most of these groups 
could not afford a standalone system.  Only one or two have the depth in 
their groups to develop and maintain expertese  to run it and keep it up to 
date.  For our site, and our size, a central system is the best solution.

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|Ross Smith, Cell Biology,  NYU Medical Center,  550 First Ave.,  NYC, 10016|
|Phone: (212) 340-5356: FAX: (212) 340-8139 (Alternate NYUMC) (212) 340-7190|
|E-Mail:  SMITH@NYUMED.BITNET (BITNET),  SMITH@MCCLB0.MED.NYU.EDU (Internet)|
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